001Welcome to our January Jackson Public Schools board meeting. Thank you for the audience, everyone that's attending virtually and here in person. If you'd like to make a public comment, there are forms in the back um desk over there. And if you would just put your name, address, phone number, and the reason you want to publicly make a comment just in case we need to get a hold of you. Um, at this time we will do the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Sarah, can you do a roll call for us? >> Miss Hamilton, >> present. >> Mrs. Simonetti. >> Mr. Ready? >> Here. Miss Williams >>
002present. >> Miss Sharp >> here. >> Mr. Doby's Miss Actton >> here. And at this time I'd um have a motion discussion. Oh, so motion. >> No. So no discussion. So Okay. So all in favor say I. >> Oppose say no. Motion carries. At this point, I'm going to turn this over to Jeremy Patterson. Okay. So, welcome to our organizational meeting for the month of January. At this time, uh we'll have our board members choose uh a president, a vice president, secretary, and treasur. And so um at this time uh our board will have an opportunity to uh move board members forward. So uh I think there's a light down here. >> So Mr. Patterson, before we take nominations, I would like to make a motion. Um it has been brought to my attention and
003confirmed by our legal counsel, Mr. Brendan Beer that um the board of education cannot restrict individual members and impose additional qualifications on their status. So this is all in reference to the action that we took last June regarding Mr. Doby's. So I would like to make a motion to amend our prior resolution and now to permit Mr. Dobies to serve as an officer of the board of education >> support. >> Any discussion? >> Yes, some discussion. So, um I understood then that uh there was no uh legality to that motion back then, which is why I didn't vote in favor of it at that time. Though I did vote to censor Adobe's, I did not vote to uh keep him from holding office because the board just doesn't have that power. So, I just want
004to go on the record to say that. Any more deliberation hearing? None. All those in favor say I. >> I. All oppose say no. Motion carries. Okay. So now we are going to vote on nominate uh president, vice president, treasure, treasurer and secretary. So nominations are now open for the office of the president. I would like to nominate Marilyn Actton as president. Any other nominations? Hearing none. Should we do a roll call? Should we do a roll? Let's Let's do a roll call. Yep. Miss Hamilton, >> I'd be voting no. I don't believe Maryland has the entire district's best interest at heart. So, no. >> Mrs. Simonetti, >> Mr. Ready? >> Yes. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Sharp? >> Yes. >> Mr. Doby's? >> Yep. >> Miss Actton? >> Yes. >> Nominations are
005now open for the office of vice president. right now. Should we Is it okay? We're going to do a swear in for the office of the president. Nominations are now open for the office of vice president. I nominate super ready. >> Okay. Hearing none. No more nominations. Let's have a roll call. Miss Hamilton. >> No. >> Mrs. Simonetti. >> Mr. Ready. >> Miss Williams. >> Yes. >> Miss Sharp. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dobies. >> Yep. >> Miss Actton. >> Yes. Now I will swear and trust you. Daddy. And now for the office that we will be taking nominations for the office of secretary. I would like to nominate Elena Sharp. >> I would like to nominate Cheryl Simonetti. No more nominations. We'll have a roll call. We'll do a roll call for Miss Sharp, Miss
006Hamilton. No, Mrs. Simonetti, Mr. Ready. Elena Sharp >> Secretary >> Miss Williams. >> No. >> Miss Sharp. Mr. Dobies. >> Miss Actton. >> Yes. Miss Actton. >> No. >> We'll do a roll call for Mrs. Simonetti. [snorts] >> Mrs. Mi Miss Hamilton. >> No. >> Mrs. Simonetti. >> No. Thank you. >> Mr. Ready. Miss Williams, >> no. >> Miss Sharp, >> no. >> Mr. Doby's. >> Uh, no. >> Miss Actton. >> Yes. >> I I'd like to to maybe uh nominate Elena. I would nominate Elena. >> Hearing no other nominee. >> I'd like to nominate Derek Dobies for treasurer. >> We're doing secretary right now. >> Yeah, we're on secretary. >> I think the last vote didn't pass. >> Let's do another roll. So, just to clarify, we our nominations are open for secretary and
007it sounds like Elaine is the only person that has been nominated. So, we will take a roll call vote now. >> Miss Hamilton, >> no. >> Mrs. Simonetti, >> yes. >> Mr. Ready? >> Yes. Miss Williams. >> Yes. >> Miss Sharp. >> Yes. >> Mr. Doby's. >> Yes. >> Miss Actton. >> Yes. >> Okay. Now I'm going to swear in Elena Sharp as secretary. nominations are now open for treasure. >> I'd like to nominate Derek Dobies for treasure. >> Support. Oh, I don't have to do support. Okay. Any other nominations from the floor? We'll take a roll call then. Miss Hamilton, >> no. Mrs. Simeonetti, >> no. >> Mr. Ready? >> Yes. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Sharp? >> No. >> Mr. Dobies? >> Yes. >> Miss Actton? >> Yes. >> And now
008I will swear in Trusty Dobbies as treasurer. I have a motion um 25 2640 for the organizational resolutions. >> I'll make a motion to approve of the organizational resolutions with the following amendments. one the um under C the Jackson Parks and Recreation, it should probably read commission um and not department. And then uh this is something I ask every year and I don't foresee it being something that we can't take a vote on in February, but item F, this says approval of annual retainer contracts. Um when Superintendent Beiel was here, um those would us those contracts would usually be presented to the board. Um so that we know what the terms of the contract are because that [clears throat] is the legal counsel for the board. So I guess before voting on that, I'd like
009to see that contract and I guess what the retainer is. So, I would maybe pull that and as part of the motion to approve the organizational resolution with the correction for the Jackson Parks and Rack to refer item F to the February meeting and ask that we're provided with the contract. If I can offer that as a motion. Can you just restate that so that we can >> Yes, sir. more simply, it's kind of >> I move to approve of the organizational resolutions uh as uh with the amendment that under item C, it reads the Jackson Park and Recreation Department and to remove item F, the retainer contract, and place that onto the February agenda for action and ask that the superintendent send the board uh the information of that uh contract. >> I would
010second that but with further amendment to the August meeting date which coincides with the first day of school the next day. I'm not sure how that works with Robert's rules to amend the amendment. >> Do you have a date in mind? >> Um, I would just say maybe the third Tuesday of that month as opposed to the 4th, August 18th. >> I just was trying to amend an amendment. I don't know exactly >> if it's I'll I'll consider that a >> friendly amendment. >> Okay. and incorporate it into my motion to approve of the organizational resolution with a correction on the Parks and Recreation Commission, changing the fourth Tuesday in August to the third Tuesday in August, removing item F and placing it as an action item for February. >> Is that when we meet
011that Is that our school district? >> Is it is it first day of school? And so the recommendation is the 18th of that day. >> Okay. So that's that's a recommendation. That might have been some confusion on my part on the back to school date. So, I know there was conflict last year with a third Tuesday cuz it was a lot of uh open houses that folks missed and didn't wasn't able to attend the meeting. So, um so that's the information that you provided that that's the second day of school. >> The 25th is the night before the first >> and the recommendation is the 18th, correct? to move it back to where it was for last year. Okay. >> I think LA last year we just started a week earlier. >> There you go.
012>> Any more any deliberation on this? >> Yes. Um so I have other issues with the calendar. It seems like an unusual amount of meetings have been bumped to the fourth Tuesday. Um I personally have an issue with the June meeting. I would like to move that back to the third Tuesday. And I have a concern about bumping F to February. Does that mean we have any legal representation right now in January? If we do not take action on this tonight, um what is our status as far as representation today? Just for discussion or purposes, um, our finance department has to present the district budget and to present the most accurate district budget. A little bit more time is needed. You all know the predicament we were in last year with um just trying to
013get it as accurate as possible and not having as much information earlier. So that's just the rationale that I'll share with you of why it was requested to uh the last possible date in June so that we can be in compliance with having a budget by the end of the month in June. But getting it as accurate as possible was was the request of the district. >> And then relative to the F, I guess it would be contingent. I didn't look to see that our contract expired before it's renewed. So that would be a question we'd have to look up. the current contract and did it have an end date at the end of January, December? What's the end date of the current contract is unknown, but that's something I would look into. >> Jeremy,
014what's the um what's the rationale behind the other dates that were changed to the fourth? I heard you say the June one. >> Okay. >> Thank you. So, um the previous date was April 21st and Marcus and myself uh have a goal to attend the MSBO conference. And so that's um our school business officials. And so if both of us weren't present, somebody else would run the meeting or I just wouldn't go. And so that was why we recommended the 28th. Uh May is graduation week and so things get pretty busy and hectic the week of the 19th and the 26th is after the holiday. June was budgetary purposes, July was already the fourth week and August was back to school, but it looks like that was been corrected because the calendar changes from year
015to year. >> Why is July the fourth week when most of them are the third? >> Uh that just was not changed. I don't know why it was that before. maybe vacations in the past. A lot of people take a lot of vacation time in July and maybe that was a precedence the previous board had to finish vacations and then come back later. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> So, I'm just a little concerned if we don't have legal representation if we wait on this. I'm kind of concerned about that. I mean, how if we wait until February? >> So, that that would be a board discussion. Um because that there was a motion, but the >> I'm concerned about not having legal representation for the month if if the contract did run out
016because he um that law firm is on retainer. So, I'm a little concerned about that. [clears throat] Just kind of tracking where we're at. Was there a support for the moving of the third June third Tuesday to the the fourth Tuesday back to the third? I can if >> with without objection I would consider that you seconded my motion. So um I would also consider the June moving to it the third Tuesday to be a friendly amendment if the second also >> okay we can incorporate >> so so what I'm hearing so the the motion [clears throat] is still that um we would move F >> to February and that we would Move the June meeting back to the 16th. Is that what is is that? Yes. Anything is is that it >> June and
017August. And then June back to the 18th. Any any more discussion? >> And to correct the um commission in parks C. >> Oh, and and to correct the um >> yes, Jackson Parks and Recreation number C. >> Any more question for clarity? Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> I used to say discussion. Um, now am I hearing you correctly, uh, Jeremy, that the June meeting you needed more time for that and we're saying we want to move it back? What am I hearing? I understand >> that was the request of the district >> because you need more time for the the budget at that time. >> That's correct. >> Thank you. >> And maybe Derek, can you elaborate a little more on your reasoning on Folding it to February? >> Yeah. Um uh this contract um
018is for the legal council for the board. Um it just says approval of the annual retainer agreement. Um saying shall continue. Um and there's says approval of an annual retainer contract. So I don't like I haven't seen that um in the past. It hasn't been an issue to uh table this and then uh superintendent be would bring it back at the next meeting and share that uh retainer contract. I think if we're being asked to approve the retainer contract, we should know what that contract is. Um it I think um it's our duty to review that and and approve it. Um at least get the details of what the costs are, if they've increased, uh you know, so it hasn't it hasn't been an issue in the past. I imagine that it's um not going
019to be an issue this time. If there's um some sort of uh issue that arises between now and then, I would assume that Superintendent Patterson could continue to work with uh our legal counsel, Brendan, on that matter and incorporate it into the the last into the contract when we address it in in February if that's the case. So, C is moving department to commission. >> Yeah. Because you're pointing to the Jackson Park and Recreation Commission. So the so the motion now is um organizational resolution C to move Jackson Parks and Recreation to commission and then to um put F the approval of annual retainer contracts on the February agenda and to move the meeting for June to the 16th. and August to the 18th. Is that that's is that correct? Okay. So, that's the motion.
020>> So, I will say that if it's in the best interest of the district to do June 23rd and no one else has any conflict with June 23rd, I will withdraw my request. I still have a conflict, but if it's in the best interest of the district to do the 23rd, I'm fine with that. what's in the best interest of the district. >> So again, the district has made this request. So if that request was withdrawn, then I would be supportive of that. That would be helpful. Thank you. And I agree with that August 18th day. So we're all good on the dates as they've been um recommended. So thank you for that. Consider it friendly to then un amend that if the second >> and yes strike June it's confusing. >> I'll restate my
021motion. Uh okay. So I move to approve of the organizational resolutions with the uh change to the item A moving the August meeting to the 3 Tuesday which would cause the meeting date to be the 18th instead of the 25th. Under item C, I would change parks Jackson Parks and Recreation Department to Jackson Parks and Recreation Commission. And item F, I would remove and place onto the February 17th uh meeting. Support. Any support? >> Any more deliberate? >> Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed say no. motion. Moving to agenda item 252641, financial resolutions. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Any deliberation? >> Yes. Just one question. Um Jeremy, is anything new? Um are any of these banks new on here or is
022this all just different ones we've kept and had? >> You want to take that one? >> No changes from last year. >> Hearing no more deliberation. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Hearing all those opposed hearing none. Motion carries. Moving on to item number 252642. Adoption of legal reference note. >> Do I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Any deliberation? >> Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. Hearing none. Motion carries. Now, and now I will turn this over to the superintendent's report. Thank you, Madame President. Just wanted to say thank you to our wonderful JPS board of education. Uh we have a fantastic group of uh leaders in this community and I want to read a resolution before continuing on with the superintendent's
023report. Uh this was a resolution honoring the constituent district board of education January 2026 Jackson Public Schools. Whereas the month of January 26 has been designated schoolboard recognition month for the state of Michigan. And whereas school board members contribute hundreds of hours each year leading their districts by making important decisions about curriculum, adopting policies, listening to student, parent, and staff concerns and setting expectation for student achievement. And whereas schoolboard members in Jackson County are providing strong local leadership for important tasks of educating our community children. can whereas schoolboard recognition month provides an opportunity to build stronger relationships between dozens of schoolboard members in Jackson County who champion the cause of public education, their schools, and their communities. Now therefore, be it resolved the Jackson County Intermediate School District Board of Education on behalf of the
024citizens, communities, educators, and schools it serves does hereby recognize and express respect of appreciation for the leadership and service provided by the members of the boards of education of each of the school district of Jackson County. So, uh, we appreciate all you do. We have a special little performance here. We had a little gift that we shared on behalf of Jackson Public Schools and also our wonderful board of education has donated the gift of books to all of our JPS schools. So, our principles identified books that kids really want to read. And so, on behalf of the students of Jackson Public Schools and the family, we thank you for that uh generous donation. There's not a better gift than a book. So here before us we have Principal Ledwig from Hunt Elementary School and some
025of our brightest and finest. These are the game changers from Hunt Elementary. Just a small representation, but they wanted to be here in person to thank our board today. Principal Ledwig. >> Good even Good evening members of the Jackson Public Schools Board of Education. My name is Deja Sample and I am a fifth grade game changer at Hunt Elementary. As game changers, we try to be responsible, respectful, safe, and kind. We work hard to be good leaders and role models in our school. We hope to grow into great leaders and models one day, just like you. Thank you for supporting our schools and caring about our education and our future. We appreciate your time, your leadership, and everything you do for Jackson Public Schools. Thank you for listening. So this is our fourth and fifth
026grade students. We have a program at Hunt called Game Changers and they take on lots of leadership opportunities. They've been working on acts of service this year and this is something they really wanted to do is thank you guys tonight. So thank you so much for all that you do and we hope you enjoy your card. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. That's always the highlight of a lot of our meetings is you all get to see what we see every day in Jackson Public Schools. We have just amazing students and um they are definitely being uh coached up to be uh future leaders in our community. So, this is a very nice touch. Thank you parents for bringing the young people out this evening and families for being here with us. Uh this
027is greatly appreciated. This concludes the superintendence report for the month of January. Agenda item number seven, consent agenda. Do I have a motion? >> Move approval of the consent count uh agenda as presented. >> Any support? Any deliberation? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. All those opposed say no. Motion carries. At this time, we will have citizens requesting to address the board. You each get five minutes. Um Devin Camel Good evening members of the board of education. My name is Devon Camel. I am a local artist, a lifelong community member, and the father of two adult children. I have previously worked at with youth through community- based programs, including Save Our Youth. I am here tonight because the decisions made in this room affect real students and real futures. It was brought to
028my attention through a student that there have been conversations about the high school art program being on the chopping block. That stopped me cold because art is not just an elective to me. It is the reason my life went in a different direction. I grew up in Sageno in a twoarent household, one of four boys. My baby brother has been incarcerated since he was 17 years old. My other brothers have been involved in gangs and have been shot at. I did not end up on that path. The difference for me was art. Art gave me an outlet. It gave me somewhere to put anger, fear, creativity, and hope when violence was all around me. As a black boy growing up in an environment where survival often mattered more than dreams, art changed my life. This
029is not abstract for me. It is not abstract for the students in this district. Just last week, a 17-year-old student who attends the high school was shot in the face by another student. And this is not the first time this district has lost students to gun violence. Our students are carrying grief, fear, and trauma into classrooms every single day. When students are living in that reality, schools should be expanding supports and not cutting them. Art programs are not extras. They help students process trauma, stay connected to school, and imagine a future beyond survival. For some students, art is the reason they stay engaged. For others, it is the reason they stay alive. At the same time, student programs like art are being discussed for elimination. The district's highest paid administrators are requesting additional compensation through
030extra duty pay funded by the general fund. That same general fund that pays for student programs, that same general fund that pays for classroom supplies, the teachers are reporting difficulty accessing basic materials like paper. These are not separate issues. They reflect priorities. The district's motto is where community comes together. Community coming together should not look like cutting student programs while leadership asks for more. It should look like restraint, accountability, and centering students, especially during crisis. I am not here to attack anyone. I am here to ask this board to be honest about what it values. Because when programs are cut, when classrooms lack supplies, and when leadership seeks more pay from the same fund, students notice, families notice, and teachers notice. If art had been taken away from me as a kid, I might not
031be standing here today. I'd be telling a different story, or I wouldn't be here at all. Budgets reflect values, and right now, our students are watching to see whether this district values them enough to protect what helps keep them alive. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Carmel. Camel. Okay, moving on to agenda number nine, superintendent [clears throat] evaluation process. And I'm going to turn this over to Superintendent Patterson. >> Thank you, Madame President. So before you ha have here today is just kind of an outline that I took a lot of the language from the ma masb evaluation tool. So it talks a little bit about the planning process. Uh the most important parts I think are those checkpoints. And so one thing this board has asked me to do is written monthly updates. So, I
032included that in kind of those checkpoints, if you will, on what I said I was going to do. And something that the board is required to do is a mid-year progress report, which I believe will take place in July. And so, uh, that's a required portion. And then we kind of went through an abbreviated uh portion of this evaluation because I uh was brought on in the summertime and and had a kind of short turnaround for a a formal evaluation at the end of the year. And so this year 2026 would be that full 11 12 months. So uh half of this communication is just that portion and then um I don't have this information before you but you recently agreed on those superintendent goals and so I um will send that same information to
033you and a couple of those primary there were four ma major goals two of them are kind of evolving and changing because we've gone through the bond completion So, we have secured the bond. So, now it turns into more of a how is the superintendent implementing the bond. Um, I assume that this board wants to continue to address chronic absenteeism. That was a board goal. Um, I'm definitely open to all your feedback. I took that feedback that you gave me in the December evaluation and we'll incorporate that into my goals for the upcoming year. Um, J Jackson Public Schools has exited the partnership agreement and so that wouldn't be part of the goals moving forward, but this board has asked me to implement that strategic plan which we're working on and there is a timeline
034for that process. So, I have kind of u been working on this that I can share with you. This is a discussion item. So, if there's any other things that you saw in my past goals that you want to advise me to look forward to in the goals that I bring you um for us to look into for the month of February or for the whole year, um please let me know either today or in the very near future as I uh update those goals which were just established a few short months ago. So, um, but other than that, the schedule is pretty much what we're, um, reviewing for the first time here today. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Patterson. [clears throat] Um, number agenda number 252648, e-ate projects. I'm going to turn this
035over to Marcus. >> All right. Good evening, everyone. Um, so as part of our commitment to support updated technology requirements in our fiscally responsible manner, we use something called -ate funding, which is a federal program that reimburses districts to uh help provide connectivity and and make upgrades and purchase technology um as they see fit. Um, as we begin our work on the 2025 bond program, we've already started to look at some of our technology needs going forward over the next few years and we put a bid out for replacement of network switches and battery backups at several locations throughout the district. The bids just came in about a little over a week ago. So, we're still in the process of vetting those and asking clarifying questions. Um, you have attached the responses and the their
036bids. Um, but there's no action tonight. They're currently being evaluated. Like we said, we'll be bringing this to the finance committee. And again, in February for uh seeking approval of the award and then one thing that I do not have on here, but I know it'll be asked, these will be paid for for the new bond fund. So, it will not come from the general fund. Um, that process is ongoing and we expect to be funded, I think, early in the spring, sometime in March. Um, so the timing will work out for that. So, again, this is just for information. and we'll be bringing more information in the weeks to come. >> And go ahead. >> So, just a question, Marcus. When you put attachments on here that are landscape, is there a way to
037turn it for us? >> Sure. Yep. Yep. We could try to touch a little differently. >> Any more questions? >> Thank you, Marcus. The next item on the agenda, [clears throat] bond extra duty. I'm going to turn that back over to Marcus. >> All right. And um so again, we discussed this at both the October and December finance meetings and at the October board meeting. I think we've had some people come to answer questions and present information. I know we've been asked um a whole bunch of questions from the board and and and others. and we've uh uh put together a whole list of documents, an FAQ, um some historical perspective on some things that the district was able to do to help uh uh extend the bond dollars that we had by doing a
038lot of these duties in house. Um and again, at this time, we're bringing it back. We have a revised proposal that we brought back that lowered the initial proposal of the total cost over a estimated six-year period I believe. Um so we would uh ask to approve the extra duty contracts at this time. >> Do I have a motion to approve? >> I'll make a motion to approve the extra duty contracts as presented. deliberation. >> Yes. Just one comment or a couple comments for me. I'm going to be a no on this. Um I absolutely agree with Mr. Camo. Am I pronouncing that correctly? Thank you, Mr. Camo. Um particularly when it comes to uh our budgets being a reflection of our values. Um, so we I haven't personally received information that we're cutting art
039programs, but um I have been a strong advocate for the entire time that I've been on the board for um programs like art, drama, um skilled trades, all the different things that we should uh consider outside of the normal academic um avenues for our students um as a way to just expand um their learning and and their options. because not everybody learns the same way. Um again, budgets I do feel are reflections of our values. Um so in addition to possibly the art program or anything else occurring like that, I'm thinking about our teachers and um their um statements around needing paper and other supplies um that we should be providing freely for them. Um, I'm also thinking about um paying our admin who are very well paid presently um additional funds to do work
040that I feel they should be doing already. And then I'm also a no um because this money is coming from our general fund. Whereas, if we were to hire a company um who are uh overly qualified, more qualified I'll say, because they they do this work in general, um we could pay them from the um bond monies. I realize that they would get paid more than our uh admin, meaning that more money will be coming from the gen the uh bond dollars, but we're still talking bond dollars um where this money will be coming from. and also um bond dollars um understanding that we got more money in this bond than we had initially anticipated. So that extra that excess that 6 million more 4 to 6 million more that we received in this uh
041bond um we could be taking that money that we pay to an organization um and and pay them. So I'm going to be a solid no on this. Again, budgets reflect values. um there's no way in good conscience that I could approve extra duty dollars to our admin who are already paid very well um and knowing that our teachers are asking for paper and and and supplies. So, I'm a solid no. So, my reason for uh motioning to approve on this is looking at the dollars. So, we have this huge bond and we need bond oversight one way or the other. So either we hire an outside company or we use our own people. So as presented in December, we know that using an outside employers rep is going to cost us at least two
042times more than what we would pay to use our inside people and we would be getting less service. So, I was concerned when the gentleman said he would be on site once every two weeks and anything over and above that would cost us extra and we don't know what that dollar amount is. Our people are here every day. They know our system. They know our buildings. Um, and whether you are taking money out of general fund or whether you are taking money out of the bond, it's all coming out of the classroom. And I trust our administrators and their abilities to use the money to benefit Jackson Public Schools in the way that they can. The general fund, the bond dollars, there are so many ins and outs of this money and as demonstrated in
043the past, they use this money to benefit JPS in the best way that they can. Um, I hear the teachers talk about teacher salaries and yes, teachers do not make administrative salaries. And the problem with teacher salaries goes way beyond JPS. It's a state issue. It's a national issue. We all wish that teachers made more money. Um, I am in favor of the extra duty pay as opposed to hiring an owner's rep. I just have a um clarifying question about uh the because it was raised by trustee Hamilton about the uh intersection of the discussions here with art and art cuts. Um, is that can can maybe the superintendent elaborate on what that is in reference to? >> Yeah. So, there's been no discussion about art cuts and so I I definitely don't want to
044mingle that with extra duty, but um many of our students at Jackson High choose their own classes and we hire teachers based on what students are asking for. Um I know we have a robust art department and our kids are having great experiences. So, I do not know of any recommended cuts whatsoever to our traditionally strong art department. >> Thank Thank you, Superintendent uh Patterson. I think we've um it's important to clarify some of that stuff. Um, at a couple of meetings ago, we had an an individual that was raising issues about um our internal policy around uh passes and things like that. So, I appreciate the clarification. >> Same. Uh, thank you, Mr. Patterson. You know, I was curious, too, um, where the cuts were happening. I'd never heard of it. So, u Thank
045you. And and I I completely agree with uh uh with uh my friend Cheryl. No, my friend Cheryl. Uh because um I I I'm I was a treasure until today. Uh so I was in those finance committee meetings multiple times and uh like like Cheryl said um it doesn't matter if it's coming from general fund or bond fund but we are saving a lot of money you know which eventually goes to Jackson public schools. It doesn't go into my pocket or anybody's pocket here. It's still going towards Jackson public school students. So that's number one. Number two, uh again like Cheryl said, we had a you know a delegate last meeting. I think he came and he presented and my my worry was are you guys going to be here every day? I said nope,
046we don't have any plans. We might show up if you guys want every two weeks, you know, for an hour or two. That too for meetings, not for sightseeing. But if you want their service, it's going to cost way more than what they gave us uh what they presented last time. So that's that's a flag for me. Red flag. So I I know these guys. I've been here in and around Jackson Public Schools. I've seen these faces multiple times, multiple places, which I proudly can can promote anywhere. And I know I know these guys will do way better than uh some people call experts, but these guys are experts here right here at Jackson Public School. So I am in favor of this. I'll just share um I will be in favor of this also
047um for the reasons that Suba and Cheryl already listed and also to not negate the fact that even with an owner's rep, a project manager, there's still a large and very heavy lift that our administrators will be required to make whether we pay people in addition to them or not. So I agree, Suba. We need to make sure our administrators are taken care of because they have very valuable insight as to the work that's about to be done. >> So the one thing I add that I forgot is that in the presentations last month with the owner's rep and the construction manager, construction manager who we already have on board, there were duplication of services between the two. So there's a lot that the construction manager is already doing that the owner's rep was offering.
048So there was duplication there. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um and Sa I have a lot to learn uh from you as treasurer. So um look forward to digging in on that. Uh I agree and with with everything everyone has said to um uh Charles motion that I found the last meeting to be incredibly informative about uh the question that we're facing here and the duplic uh dup duplication of services [clears throat] by an owner's rep um and how that would be uh I think a misuse of critical school dollars. Uh whether those are bond dollars, um I think they all apply back to us being able to reinvest in our students and in our schools. And I'll I'll get to that in a little bit. Uh just the um the fact even if we
049were to hire an owner's rep does not offiscate the fact that we have to uh these individuals have to put in extra work anyways for executing the bond. Making sure that our financial house is in order. making sure that when individuals are uh when contractors are out there uh doing the construction uh that it's being done right. Uh I've seen Marcus and his team out there uh at Sharp Park and other locations evaluating that work, making sure that we get a good return uh on that product and the quality of that product. And I also appreciate uh the discussions that we've had on this board to actually modify this proposal. Um which I'll say before I forget. Um I think the contracts that were included in the folder as an example contract probably have to
050be amended uh by the individual. Um because I think that one said like seven to five or something and what's being proposed in uh the rate pay decreases after the first fiscal year and stays at a much lower rate for that remaining five years. Um so I would assume that we would be making those corrections also in that contract. Uh, but that has a savings over the course of this project to be over $400,000. And I said back to it all, someone made the point earlier about it's all JPS resources and how we all work together to utilize those resources uh to the benefit of our kids and our educational ecosystem here. Uh I think it was uh Devon that uh I was emailing this to um as a as a response, but I see
051just even in the last meeting that we had in December, this board took a vote to invest uh dollars in uh the bond in energy efficiency projects to save the district approximately $260,000 a year in energy costs, those free up uh anticipated costs from our general fund. So, the more work that we're doing on the front end, uh, if some of it necessitates that we use general fund dollars to it, frees up a lot more money from our bond that we can invest in those projects that help reduce the strain, long-term strain on our general fund so that we can invest those resources back into the classroom. So, long story short, I'll be supporting uh the motion and look forward to successful bond project. >> So, I've heard from many of my constituents about this
052extra duty pay [clears throat] and they're clear. They're against it. We should not set a precedent because extra duty pay was included in the 2018 bond fund. it doesn't have to continue. And then of concern is that this extra duty pay is included in calculations of legacy costs. This happened with the former secretary and superintendent who retired in March of 2025. The board of education gave 37 district employees a voluntary severance package to rightsize the budget. I would conclude these duties that the administration has for extra duty pay is part of their job description. I've asked several board members from Jackson County if they paid their administration extra duty pay for their board bond implementation and they'd never heard of such a thing. I don't think our administrative staff have have advanced training in construction
053management. We hired them to do communications, accounting, overseeing curriculum, facilities management, secretarial work, and being a superintendent. I think maybe Todd Frey has some um credentials in that area, but I don't see it. I don't see that they have construction management. I'm concerned it's not an equitable arrangement in account of our teaching staff needing to do extra work, too. It's of great concern that they might become discouraged in this uncertain economic client climate. Many of our parents are struggling to make ends meet with high inflation, food and power bills rising along with the c cost of housing. I just don't think this is a good look for our district. The extra duty pay of 225,169 will be coming out of our general fund. I believe it would be better put to use to invest in
054frontline educators and support professionals. I would actually like to see this request being reviewed by the board of education during its regular budget development cycle which begins around March of 2026. By that time, the full board will be up to speed with regard to the district's financial status. Triangle when they presented last month really um provided a lot of this oversight and I I just want to remind all members of the board of education that there is a reason this is called public education. The school district operates on tax dollars from the public. This is not a forprofit business. Everything is paid from the constituents in this district by their taxes. We need to ensure they are spent judiciously. so as not to be betray the public trust. Seeing there's more no more deliberation. All
055those in favor say I. >> All those opposed say no. No. >> Motion carries. [snorts] The next item on the agenda 252650 Marcus will present on the health insurance WHIP resolution. All right. So earlier this fall the district as we always do were um looking to help contain rising health insurance costs and some of our groups moved to the West Michigan Health Insurance pool which is that um academ you see on the board packet there. Um, this is a self-funded insurance pool made up of only uh public education districts, not nonprofits um throughout the state. Um, and they're able to help uh districts lower and maintain health insurance costs. Anyways, as part of our three-year commitment to the West Michigan Health Insurance Pool, we are required to present a resolution and name two trustees or
056one trustee and an alternate trustee who sit on the board of the of the pool to help make decisions and look at rates and and guide things going forward. Um, so at this time we recommend the attached resolution for membership of the health pool and the appointment of Carrie Putman who is our benefits coordinator for the district as trustee and then Marcus Leon and myself as the alternate. >> Do I have a motion to approve? Move approval of the resolution and appointment of Gary as trustee and Marcus as alternate. Okay. And yes to that >> any deliberation. So, I would just like to say in doing my homework on this that I've heard that you have done a lot of work to help decrease the out-ofpocket costs for our employees and I appreciate that. Any
057more deliberation hearing? None. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. Motion carries. this time item. >> I'm sorry. >> Can we go back to sorry the um organizational resolutions? We did not address committee assignments and how you want us to go about that. I I believe I believe our board policy uh stipulates that as soon as practical practical after the organizational meeting the president appoints to those. >> Yeah, let's do it now. Okay. Um, so one of the first [clears throat] committee meetings or the committees is the Jackson County School Board Association. I'm on that right now. Does anyone else want to be on that? Any volunteers? [snorts] Okay. >> Are you're willing to keep it? >> I'm willing to keep it. Okay. The next one, Jackson Parks and Recreation
058Commission. Any volunteers? I'd volunteer. I think um we we did this before. I think there's three spots. >> Anyone else? Tabitha, you want to Are you interested in that? >> Okay, Tabitha, she said yes. Um then there's some there are three board committees. finance. Who would like to volunteer besides Derek's on the treasurer? But anyone else? >> I'd like to stay on finance also. >> Oh, did you are you okay with that? Well, Marcus Marcus won't miss me. [laughter] >> Whoever wants to come. >> Um, okay, we're good. Okay. And the next um committee meeting is policy. Okay. I would like to stay on policy. Tabitha, would you like to be on policy? Am I volunteering her? [laughter] You don't you you can say no. I'm just Okay. And then um Elena I know was
059on district approve improvement. She was on that. I don't I don't know if she wants to stay but district improvement that's our last committee. >> I'm staying on district approvement. >> Okay, Kesha. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you Cheryl for reminding us. Thank you. Appreciate it. So at this time we will be open for board comments. Oh, okay. Um, I just wanted to uh congratulate Marilyn and the rest of uh the officers elected tonight. um excited about our uh work ahead with the bond campaign and uh also with the strategic planning uh process and look forward to uh the superintendent kind of maybe detailing in the superintendent's evaluation process kind of the the public engagement and some of the stipulations that we had around the bond proposal last year and just kind of
060rolling those forward into the strategic planning process um as So, um, and I think that's all I have for this month. >> I got one last thing. Um, uh, I just want to say thank you for, uh, for, you know, for everybody being here safe because the weather is not looking good for next few days. So, I want everybody to be cautious out there because I I'm seeing a lot of garbage. I want everybody to be safe, you know. I want to see everybody here back again in a month. So, thank you. >> Um, I want to thank the students from Hunt. Um, for me that was a pleasant surprise. I didn't know they were going to be here. That was very nice. And I'm anxious to go home and read all these cards. So,
061thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Ledwig for bringing the kids. That was delightful. They're really sweet and I know it's a big deal for them, especially speaking in front of a microphone. That's great. Thank you everyone for having confidence in me to run these meetings. And thank you for Derek because he's really good at Robert's rules. [laughter] >> So, he helps me. And I just am really excited for us all to work together. and um just it's a great place to learn and I'm thankful for everyone that participates and comes out to these meetings. Thank you so much. Do I have them? Oh, the calendar. [laughter] So, the calendar February 11th is student count day. February 16th, no school president's day. February 17th is our regular board meeting right here at 6 pm. And do I
062have a motion to adjurnn? >> Move to adjourn. >> Support. >> Okay. >> What? No.